


A Tale Anew: Season Two

by Falcadore



Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-20
Updated: 2015-03-20
Packaged: 2018-03-18 18:47:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3580077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Falcadore/pseuds/Falcadore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Dramatis Personae</p><p>Autobots<br/>Air Raid (Warrior) Black/White McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle<br/>Beachcomber (Geologist) Grey/Blue Buggy<br/>Blaster (Communications) Red/Grey Cassette Player<br/>Cosmos (Reconnaissance & Communications) Green Spacecraft<br/>Eject (Electronic Surveillance) Blue Cassette<br/>Fireflight (Reconnaissance) Red/White McDonnell Douglas RF-4 Phantom II<br/>Grapple (Architect) Orange Mobile Crane<br/>Hoist (Maintenance) Green Toyota Hi-Lux Tow Truck<br/>Inferno (Search & Rescue) Fire Engine<br/>Omega Supreme (Defence Base) Tank and Rocket Launching Facility<br/>Perceptor (Scientist) Red/Blue Microscope Scientific Station<br/>Powerglide (Warrior) Red Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II<br/>Ramhorn (Warrior) Dark Red Rhinoceros / Cassette<br/>Red Alert (Security Director) Red/White Lamborghini Contach - Fire chief<br/>Rewind (Archivist) Black Cassette<br/>Roadbuster (Ground Assault Commander) Orange/Brown Assault Buggy<br/>Seaspray (Naval Defence) White/Blue Hovercraft<br/>Silverbolt (Aerialbot Leader) White Concorde<br/>Skids (Theoretician) Blue Honda City<br/>Skydive (Air Warfare Specialist) Grey/Black General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon<br/>Slingshot (Ground Troop Support) White British Aerospace Harrier GR Mk.III<br/>Smokescreen (Diversionary Tactician) Blue/Red Datsun 280ZX - Pete Brock Race Car<br/>Steeljaw (Tracker) Yellow Lion/Cassette<br/>Superion (Air Warrior) Aerialbot Gestalt<br/>Topspin (Land and Sea Assault) Blue/White Armoured Vehicle<br/>Tracks (Warrior) Blue Chevrolet Corvette<br/>Twin Twist (Demolitions) White/Blue Armoured Mole Vehicle<br/>Warpath (Warrior) Red Tank<br/>Whirl (Aerial Assault) Pale Blue Bell AH-1 HueyCobra</p><p> </p><p>Decepticons<br/>Astrotrain (Military Transport) Grey Space Shuttle & Steam Locomotive<br/>Barrage (Gunner) Green Beetle<br/>Blitzwing (Ground and Air Commander) Purple/Ochre Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-31 Foxhound & T-72 Main Battle Tank<br/>Bombshell (Psychological Warfare) Blue/Black Insect</p><p>Chop Shop (Thief) Brown Insect<br/>Dirge (Warrior) Blue/Orange McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle Experimental Canard Wing<br/>Kickback (Espionage) Black Grasshopper<br/>Octane (Fueler) Grey/Purple Semi-Trailer Tanker and Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker<br/>Ramjet (Warrior) White/Red McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle Experimental Delta Wing<br/>Ransack (Warrior) Black/yellow Grasshopper<br/>Shrapnel (Electronic Warfare) Black Insect<br/>Thrust (Warrior) Red/Grey McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle Experimental VTOL<br/>Venom (Psychological Warfare) Green/Orange Fly</p>
    </blockquote>





	1. Exiles

**Author's Note:**

> Dramatis Personae
> 
> Autobots  
> Air Raid (Warrior) Black/White McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle  
> Beachcomber (Geologist) Grey/Blue Buggy  
> Blaster (Communications) Red/Grey Cassette Player  
> Cosmos (Reconnaissance & Communications) Green Spacecraft  
> Eject (Electronic Surveillance) Blue Cassette  
> Fireflight (Reconnaissance) Red/White McDonnell Douglas RF-4 Phantom II  
> Grapple (Architect) Orange Mobile Crane  
> Hoist (Maintenance) Green Toyota Hi-Lux Tow Truck  
> Inferno (Search & Rescue) Fire Engine  
> Omega Supreme (Defence Base) Tank and Rocket Launching Facility  
> Perceptor (Scientist) Red/Blue Microscope Scientific Station  
> Powerglide (Warrior) Red Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II  
> Ramhorn (Warrior) Dark Red Rhinoceros / Cassette  
> Red Alert (Security Director) Red/White Lamborghini Contach - Fire chief  
> Rewind (Archivist) Black Cassette  
> Roadbuster (Ground Assault Commander) Orange/Brown Assault Buggy  
> Seaspray (Naval Defence) White/Blue Hovercraft  
> Silverbolt (Aerialbot Leader) White Concorde  
> Skids (Theoretician) Blue Honda City  
> Skydive (Air Warfare Specialist) Grey/Black General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon  
> Slingshot (Ground Troop Support) White British Aerospace Harrier GR Mk.III  
> Smokescreen (Diversionary Tactician) Blue/Red Datsun 280ZX - Pete Brock Race Car  
> Steeljaw (Tracker) Yellow Lion/Cassette  
> Superion (Air Warrior) Aerialbot Gestalt  
> Topspin (Land and Sea Assault) Blue/White Armoured Vehicle  
> Tracks (Warrior) Blue Chevrolet Corvette  
> Twin Twist (Demolitions) White/Blue Armoured Mole Vehicle  
> Warpath (Warrior) Red Tank  
> Whirl (Aerial Assault) Pale Blue Bell AH-1 HueyCobra
> 
>  
> 
> Decepticons  
> Astrotrain (Military Transport) Grey Space Shuttle & Steam Locomotive  
> Barrage (Gunner) Green Beetle  
> Blitzwing (Ground and Air Commander) Purple/Ochre Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-31 Foxhound & T-72 Main Battle Tank  
> Bombshell (Psychological Warfare) Blue/Black Insect
> 
> Chop Shop (Thief) Brown Insect  
> Dirge (Warrior) Blue/Orange McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle Experimental Canard Wing  
> Kickback (Espionage) Black Grasshopper  
> Octane (Fueler) Grey/Purple Semi-Trailer Tanker and Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker  
> Ramjet (Warrior) White/Red McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle Experimental Delta Wing  
> Ransack (Warrior) Black/yellow Grasshopper  
> Shrapnel (Electronic Warfare) Black Insect  
> Thrust (Warrior) Red/Grey McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle Experimental VTOL  
> Venom (Psychological Warfare) Green/Orange Fly

Optics blinked and systems came out of reset. Sensors swept across the surroundings. The room was small and cramped. Consoles filled the four walls, but only two indicated any sign of life, a blinking red light screamed for attention on one, casting a scarlet wash of light across the room for fractions of seconds at a time, briefly highlighting objects within, the containers strewn haphazardly against the walls, a small tight package of explosives set into the ceiling with its own small blinking blue light, a long dirty white rifle leaning against one defunct console, a box of small missiles stacked beside it with an energon satchel perched dangerously atop it, and the ever present dust. Microscopic particles of fine material from, detritus from demolished constructions, shavings from the wounded and the dead, powdered materials from munitions and friction materials. The lack of light was somewhat of a mercy Ultra Magnus decided. Picking up a handful of small missiles and loading them into shoulder launchers, a control was triggered by a radio pulse and the blinking red light was extinguished, the monitor beside it flicking into life revealing a familiar worried looking blue face.

"UltraMagnusUltraMagnusradiofromspaceforyou. RoadbustercallingyoufromtheAxalon. Canyoutakethemessage, canyoutakeit, canyoutakeit?" Ultra Magnus had long ago stopped trying to get Blurr to answer anything intelligibly. Magnus shook the last remnants from his all too brief rest cycle from his system and squared himself up to the monitor. While some Autobots he worked closely with like Blurr he could afford a momentary appearance of normality, for this call we would have to be steadfast strong and confident and call upon every micron of leadership he could instil.

"Very well." With a shimmer the blue face was replaced with three figures; two standing, one sitting behind a console on what looked like the bridge of a vessel.

"Greetings Prime." Ultra Magnus had never got used to hearing the honorific being attached to himself. A leader he undoubtedly was but he knew his own limitations intimately even if his troops refused to give him anything but loyal service. Where once he had burned that he had been passed over for the honour, he had come to learn and appreciate that only one truly held the honour of being the Matrix bearer. Magnus now held the title of the Matrix bearer, but fittingly the title was hollow, the Matrix having been lost along with the true Prime, Magnus returned his attention to the screen and the voice it issued. The voice was that of the seated Autobot, the brown headed, green visored, orange torsoed Roadbuster.

"Greetings Roadbuster, how goes the search?" Despite the gravity of this call, or maybe because of it Ultra Magnus was in no mood to indulge in small talk. In the background was the semi-distant crump of explosives attempting to chemically dissolve something and apply brute force to the wound. The room shook slightly and the dust moved around, resettling in new positions.

"Are you alright?" Roadbuster had heard the explosion, however over the communications link could not tell its proximity.

"We may have to evacuate this location soon, but the danger is not immediate. Tell me of the search." Roadbuster glanced to the red and blue figure standing to his left behind the command chair. The dark coloured head inclined to the right slightly when verbally regurgitating.

"The energon trace terminated in geosynchronous orbit of the fourth planet MacroServan system. The energon trace was being created by the ion combustion chambers of a Decepticon type 37a inter-system capable drive, in this case utilised by a basic autonomous system survey probe and analysis automaton. The basic autonomous system survey probe and analysis automaton had been defunct for 135.687 cycles. Its conclusions as reported back to Polyhex stated the system was unsuitable for energon mining and no resources of significance to the Decepticons were found in sufficient quantity to make the exploitation thereof a practical enterprise."

"Thank you Perceptor, in other words, it was not the Ark's ion trail."

"Negative."

"It gets worse Prime," continued Roadbuster. "The lack of fuel material we have encountered travelling out to this mid-rim location has meant that energon supplies are very thin and we have to consider abandoning the search. We have fuel reserves to make one more un-refuelled jump so we shall be returning to Cybertron shortly." The sentence pained Magnus because of what he had to say next. He had been debating this possibility for cycles during the seven hundred thousand cycles that the Ark had been missing. Procrastination reached out once more and he turned his gaze to the third figure to Roadbuster's right, a blocky square figure in white, red and gold.

"How is the troops morale Silverbolt?"

"Hard to say. Fuel is down to such levels that all non-essential ships crew are frozen in stasis. I am the only member of the ships warrior detachment online at this point." And that statement alone sealed their fate. They could not return to Cybertron. Magnus looked away for a moment, then composed a durallinium mask for himself and faced Roadbuster directly.

"Perceptor, Silverbolt, if I could have some time with Roadbuster." Silverbolt stiffened, drawing himself to attention and marched out of shot, bustling Perceptor with him.

"Speak to you shortly Magnus." The scientist was a friend of many years, and losing yet another friend was going to be painful again for Magnus, but he would bottle it up and unleash it on the next Decepticon he saw. At least Perceptor was not dead.

"Roadbuster I do not want you to return to Cybertron. The Decepticons have aerial superiority and our spaceports have been over run. The chances are high the Axalon would be captured or destroyed trying to return."

"But Magnus there are almost..." Magnus immediately overrode Roadbuster's objections with the force of command.

"Roadbuster I want you to set the Axalon up to reawaken upon receiving signal from the Ark then place your entire crew in stasis. I am aware your vessel is a valuable resource and that is why I am ordering this so that resource is not wasted on a hopeless mission to return to a battle already lost. Preserve your lives, preserve your ship and be of use to those who follow us."

"You are going to sentence one such as me to long term inactivity? We can come back, smash our way in and refuel; Silverbolt can have a plan ready for you within a time unit of receiving reconnaissance information."

"I have little doubt you could accomplish it too. But little doubt is too much. One day the Ark's computer or the Matrix will call. Someone should be listening, because before very much longer even monitoring surface electronic activity may be beyond us, let alone communicating inter-system. Someone should be out there staffing the picket line. Someone should be that picket ship, that listening post. It could be that in time Roadbuster your mission will be far more important than anything you could accomplish here. I did not make this decision lightly or rashly." Ultra Magnus paused and softened his expression slightly. "You are a good Autobot Roadbuster, you all are. Do this in the hope of a future free of Decepticon oppression. Until all are one."

"All are one." Roadbuster's reply was near a whisper. The screen winked out, Magnus appreciated Roadbuster's brevity. He did not envy the task ahead of the veteran Autobot of action. Magnus sensed a presence behind him in the doorway to Magnus' about to be former office. "How long have you been there Kup?"

"Long enough. That was hard Magnus."

"Thirty soldiers. We could have used them."

"Will it make any real difference? Would one company of troops turn the tide?" They both knew it would not and they both knew that Kup was merely helping his commander mentally reach the end goal of casting off Roadbuster and the Autobots under his command. Kup shifted his tone and continued.

"Prime, the war on Cybertron is lost. It is time we turned out attention to long term survival. If it means abandoning the surface of Cybertron then that is what we have to do. The Autobots have to go on."

"Sometimes a single Autobot can turn the tide."

"And it is for that Autobot you sent the Axalon away. The Matrix must return to Cybertron." There was another crump of explosives, followed by three more each of them louder. The last of the four created a loud bang somewhere in the facility outside of Magnus' office. Something crashed from ceiling to floor outside.

"Time to evacuate this facility, old friend..."


	2. Lord Starscream

The Autobots had assembled on a ridge overlooking the beach front. Jazz had only just left at the head of a small convoy of the wounded, rolling or otherwise, with a small escort, heading north and the shelter offered by the Ark. Those unable to move themselves were hauled by Optimus Prime's trailer with Huffer performing towing duties.

Optimus Prime and the able bodied troops remained. The huge new Decepticon was still there, still pounding away at Megatron. While Optimus railed at the thought of leaving anyone, even Megatron under the attentions of the Constructicon colossus, he was not prepared to send Autobots into danger unless it threatened something else.

When Starscream had rejoined the Decepticons, he was able to organise a retreat and did not look particularly fussed about leaving Megatron behind to a dubious fate. It looked like the green warrior would continue punishing its objective until it ran out of energon.

"Prime," Jetfire's voice cut into Optimus thoughts. "Seekers." Optimus looked out in the direction Jetfire was looking but could not see anything. The precision of the aviator's optics frequently surprised his fellows.

"How many?"

"All three, travelling in formation." The Decepticons rapidly and silently chewed up the distance until arriving at the scene and their sonic boom caught up to them. The three circled in formation around the giant.

"Prime shall we attack?" Ironhide was keen to press their advantage while the full group was not present. Optimus Prime assessed their depleted numbers.

"Let us wait on developments. I want to know what that monstrosity does first." Prime managed to keep the revulsion from his voice, but not from his language. Optimus was something of a traditionalist and this merged Decepticon was an affront to evolution. Someone on the other side had been experimenting with sciences not broached in some time. In distant past Cybertronian genetics had been the plaything of the Quintessons and each 'model season' new designs had emerged, some were monstrosities, barely worthy of life. Few survived any length of time, even the exceedingly odd combat models, proving the basic design of evolution was a better geneticist than the manipulators of the 'old gods'. Since then such manipulations had been either taboo or in earlier times expressly forbidden. Templetation had been the first major relaxation of the post Quintesson science code and that had been proven time over, but this... combiner genetics. It was heretical thought at the very least.

And Megatron would have loved it.

It would have appealed to the megalomaniac to use a weapon that the Autobots might shirk at replicating. Instead he appeared dead because of it. Optimus studied the reactions of his troops. Jetfire and Wheeljack both looked on in fascination and chatted between each other on how it functioned. Ironhide look disgusted, perhaps eager to have the thing erased. Bluestreak looked nervous and was interjecting unscientific attempts at humour into Jetfire and Wheeljack's conversation. Mirage, somewhat proactively, was leaning on a geographic feature, tracking it with his hunter's rifle.

There were a few sudden words and noises from the troops and Optimus turned back towards the battlefield. Starscream was flying towards the Autobots while the great green Decepticon had disassembled into its component Constructicons while Thundercracker and Skywarp helped them to their feet, seemingly ready to retreat at any moment. All of them stayed clear of the deep depression in the ground that was Megatron's grave.

The assembled Autobots raised their guns as Starscream approached.

"Autobots spread out," called Ironhide.

"Starscream is not attacking," Optimus said loud enough for those close to him to hear. "Hold your fire until ordered." Optimus himself did not raise his rifle.

Some distance from the escarpment, the apparent Decepticon commander transformed and hovered mid air, arms spread wide to keep his null rays from appearing threatening.

"I greet you Optimus Prime," Starscream voice held a permanent mock to it. It was hard to tell whether he was naturally insubordinate, or arrogant. Or both.

"Starscream." Optimus tried to give nothing away and gave the Decepticon as little acknowledgement as possible.

"We appear to have a dilemma of sorts, have you given much thought to our predicament here on this world?" Prime decided the Decepticon was searching for information. Optimus wanted no part of that.

"Your point Starscream?" Starscream seemed to acknowledge Optimus lack of parley, tilting his head to one side.

"Very well. You do not have a space worthy vessel, and for the moment it appears the Nemesis is lost to us. We are far from the commercial trade lanes indicated to us by Quintesson records, and it appears that no-one is looking for us as plainly we had been hibernating for more than a few cycles. We both want to get back to Cybertron. Working together we may find a solution to our... cartographic predicament."

"What makes you think we are capable of working together?"

"Megatron's greatest fault was his fixation, first on Sentinel Prime," said Starscream by way of justification. "Then on you. It was his belief that the destruction of the line of Primes was the only way for the Decepticons to secure their place in the galaxy. He would have you incinerated along with Prowl, Jetfire and Jazz and any other Autobot who had shown any pretence towards leadership. It was destructive and cost far too many Decepticon lives trying to kill you and Sentinel when objectives had already been achieved. However I believe we can come to an arrangement, if only in the short term."

"What of that merged monstrosity?"

"Really Prime, so squeamish? You would cling to some old ideals about evolution? Devastator, the name it gave itself, was remarkably unresponsive. Scrapper and his team have no memory of the incident. I can have no idea how this happened. I will try to find out. It would be an impressive weapon would it not if it were controllable?" Starscream's tone was teasing. Optimus would not wait for the star to fall for any word about 'Devastator'.

"And Megatron?"

"Dead and unlamented." Any happiness in Starscream's voice was gone. A flat dismissal of Megatron's existence was all his former commander appeared to be worth. "If you want to collect his corpse and use as a puppet to frighten fresh troops with, you are welcome to it."

"What do you propose?" Optimus now noticed that Starscream had moved closer as he floated in mid air and was now starting to get too close for physical comfort. Optimus however did not want to weaken his own appearance in front of the Decepticon or his troops.

"Perhaps your engineers and the Constructicons might be able to create a vessel from the Ark and what can be salvaged from Nemesis, if we could look at vessel schematics of both perhaps we can make a proposal?" Before Starscream had finished his sentence Optimus realised he was dealing with a fool. The Decepticon Gunship was completely different and incompatible form of vessel. There was not enough mass in it, even beaten flat to cover the damage to the Ark. But if this was sham then what was the real purpose of the discussion?

"I think we have a ways to go before we discuss any kind of alliance," Optimus responded, now himself looking for information from Starscream. If he truly believed a combined vessel might work, then perhaps some condition of the gunship or even location could be established. It might be a key to the location of the pilfered energon taken from the human mineral recovery platform. "Could we send Wheeljack to inspect your vessel?"

"I am sure..." Starscream was a sudden blur of movement, moving towards Optimus. He arms reached behind his head as he leaned inwards towards Optimus and snapped forward, throwing something. Optimus started to raise his rifle, but Starscream was suddenly too close and far too fast. Things were moving in slow motion as Optimus recognised the personal danger he had placed himself in. The Decepticon near embraced Optimus as something metallic and magnetic slapped on Optimus back. Someone's rifle started to lean in to blow Starscream's head off point blank, but the Seeker's air intakes spoiled the aim. Optimus dropped his rifle to bring his hands up to push Starscream away when there was a sudden pain in Optimus back as the magnetic device detonated. The pair was forced by the explosion away from the cliff and fell. Starscream drifted slightly away with his hands still clutching the sides of Optimus head, the grey arms stretching into the distance until an upthrust knee came into view.

 

Mirage took his head out of the rifle sight in time to witness the explosion of the magnetic grenade attached by some form of cord to Starscream hands. As he watched Jetfire was flung backwards against Wheeljack by the blast and Optimus and the Decepticon fell forward over the cliff. Straightening against the blast Mirage threw himself forward and leant out over the edge of the escarpment with his rifle held as steady as possible with only his arms to brace it.

The covert operation specialist watched as Starscream kneed Prime in the faceplate as the pair fell head first. Then Starscream folded up into his aircraft form and flew rapidly away from the limply falling Prime, now tumbling along the cliff face. As the jet cleared away Mirage attempted to steady his rifle and fire but did not have enough support to aim the long weapon accurately. He could hear sporadic fire from other Autobots but the wildly careening Starscream avoided the shots. As Mirage lifted the sights to pull himself back to safety a black jet drifted more distantly into view. Skywarp! That meant...

"Incoming!" Mirage shouted above the sounds of fire, and Ironhide started to get the Autobots turned around, screaming for Ratchet over an open radio frequency. Those at the back got transformed and mobile in time to race clear but Mirage could only wait as he felt the detonations in the cliff side underneath himself and felt the cliffside start to crumble and give way. Looking downwards, the former aristocrat decided this time it was going to hurt.


	3. Counting the Cost

"There you go, that should help a bit." Ratchet finished adding the thinning agent to Prowl's energon supply lines. That would help considerably with the pain the now twice wounded Prowl was going through. Prowl had insisted on returning to the battlefield when Ratchet left the convoy to race back at Ironhide's orders.

Ironhide was one of the seven still missing.

With Ironhide missing, as well as Optimus himself, and Ratchet insisting that Prowl could not take command, Prowl instead took control of the rescue and recovery effort, co-ordinating with human military and civilian agencies. Jazz was once again in command, and looking no less comfortable than the last time.

The others missing in the massive rock fall were Gears, Jetfire, Mirage, Wheeljack and Windcharger. The human military had arrived to help but it had not been through General Stewart. He had been recalled to Washington DC, the regional administrative city, presumably for the purposes of briefing the civilian leadership. The General left in his place, it had turned out General was a verbal insignia of rank rather than a name, was considerably more standoffish, almost to the point of hostility. Prowl was beginning to think that the discovery of life from beyond this world is not something humans would welcome with open arms. The local culture had paranoid xenophobic tendencies, which did not appear to be limited to the regional boundaries of the strangely titled United States. Prowl did the bulk of his co-ordination through Stewarts aide, Colonel Bourne, who was having a frustrating time as go-between Prowl and General Vincennes.

One item Prowl thought of major concern was that Megatron's body had disappeared. With collapse of the escarpment all Autobot attention had focussed on the rock fall. The corpse, if that was what it was as no Autobot had confirmed his frame sparkless, had disappeared. The Decepticons had left without him; the US Army claimed civilian agencies had taken it. The intelligence service, the CIA had claimed both itself and all other civilian agencies on site had not the resources present to shift something that large. The law enforcement agency, the FBI had not been allowed access despite the excited claims of one tall slim male agent who was yelling, "Do you believe now?" whilst trying to get past the soldiers.

Prowl was in constant radio contact with Wheeljack, pinned under the rubble with Jetfire alongside him. Both were awake and conscious but unable to move under the weight of rock. There was most concern for Gears, Windcharger and Mirage, who were not of the same level of construction of the others, and Optimus Prime who was, probably, buried deepest, and wounded prior to the collapse.

"Hey we've got one!" It was a human voice. Prowl, who was trying not to move very far because of his injuries, waited to hear from Ratchet who raced to the scene.

"It is Windcharger," said Ratchet's concerned voice over a radio link. "Stasis locked and banged about but otherwise nominal. We can see a blue figure just slightly deeper through the rock."

"Take care of Windcharger and let the humans and Brawn clear the rock."

"Prowl?"

"Yes Colonel?"

"The seismologists and geologists have pinpointed where the metallic objects lie." Bourne unfolded a sketch diagram. Prowl bent and increased his vision magnification. "Where that flag is," Bourne pointed to a bright yellow triangle cloth on a flexible stick that swayed in the wind. "There is a large metallic object, more than one. We believe Wheeljack and Jetfire are there. We are planting the flags where we think the others are, but we can only be certain of the location of six of those, well four now, not accounted for."

"Prime will be buried deep. The rock is also masking Ratchet's telemetry readings, we can not be sure of the status of any of those we can not talk to."

"I am picking up Mirage now Prowl, he must be over near where Brawn is," interjected Ratchet. Prowl rapidly projected the message, slowed down for human consumption over his own speakers for Colonel Bourne's benefit. "His vitals are stable but he is in stasis lock. Windcharger will be fine. I have stabilised him so we wait for him, and Mirage to awaken. Neither have to be evacuated to the Ark in a hurry."

"Prowl." This time the message was coming in long distance. It was Jazz back at the Ark. "Progress?"

"Windcharger has been recovered and stabilised and Mirage will shortly join him. Nothing urgent at this stage. We are in contact with both Jetfire and Wheeljack and both are on line but pinned. We have nothing on Gears, Ironhide or Optimus Prime."

"Huffer is on his way back to you with Prime's battle station with an escort to help Ratchet with a medical station."

"Good. Huffer can help Brawn with the extraction. Megatron's corpse has disappeared," Jazz cursed something calling on an ancient darkness that Prowl disapproved of.

"How?"

"Probably a human agency although all present deny having done it. The Decepticons have not been back to inspect their handiwork or claim Megatron's frame. If Starscream is in control now I would suggest they will not even attempt it. We can also expect a change of tactics with Starscream in command. He is likely to be more subtle and treacherous, as has already been demonstrated, and will likely try raiding attacks rather than frontal brute force efforts. We should be placing more emphasis on surveillance as we will be less likely to see them coming. Look for visits to the Ark shortly by Ravage and/or Laserbeak."

"If Soundwave is leader?"

"The Seekers will not follow Soundwave, even with his seniority," Prowl was warming to the subject, his analytical brain racing down paths of predicted behaviour and archived past analysis, making his own judgements of future Decepticon behaviour. Prowl was good at this, sufficiently good that coupled with an obsessive attention to detail, he had become Optimus Prime's operations officer and second in command, although on a day to day level Ironhide was the effective conduit from the troops to Optimus. The two shared the responsibilities of Prime's executive officer along the lines of their talents and abilities, although Prowl wore the official title.

"Rumble and Frenzy would make inadequate leadership enforcers as well, especially compared to Thundercracker and Skywarp. Scrapper is a more likely leadership candidate because of this new Constructicon terror weapon," Prowl continued. "This introduces a whole new dynamic to the structure of this group of Decepticons, although as a weapon this 'Devastator' is something more to Megatron's style tactics. Starscream may not understand how to employ such a weapon, if he can control it, and frustration from a lack of participation may cause a newly empowered Scrapper to make his own bid for command. Unless Hook decides Scrapper is unsuitable to lead."

"You don't give any credence to the accidental creation of Devastator?"

"Don't?"

"Do not. It's a human thing, running a couple of short words together to make another. I think it's pretty cool."

"You think it is cold?"

"No no... another human language thing, sorry my bro."

"Can you at least manage a sentence in Cyber? Credence, no. You do not take the words of Starscream seriously do you?"

"A salient point my man. Look forward to your updates on the rescue, and my... our thoughts are with you all."

"Just one thing Jazz, while you are running the Ark, stop speaking in human or I will ignore Ratchet and come back there."

 

Brawn stood waiting by the hole where Windcharger had recently been pulled from and Mirage was about to be, waiting for the all clear from the human geotechnical engineers to go in and start pulling aside the rubble that separated the sniper from the surface. While wary of the importance of what he was doing, and the importance of the safety of his comrades buried in the rock the Minibot was thoroughly enjoying his current role and the responsibility that went with it. A little over twice the size of the human around him Brawn found himself enjoying the company of the human soldiers and was enjoying showing off in front of them, they in turn hurled friendly abuse and banter flowed back and forth between them. While Prowl might disapprove of the fraternisation and Wheeljack might even talk fondly of a model of inter-species relations for Brawn it was just the banter of like minded individuals.

One of the engineers signalled and Brawn carefully stepped forward towards Mirage, clearing away outlying boulders and pushing them firmly down towards the sea. The noise of the shifting tons of rock bouncing off of each other and the splashing in the ocean drowned out all other sound and Brawn found himself regularly checking to his left towards where the military engineers stood. One more boulder and suddenly Mirage was almost clear. Brawn stopped and crouched down on one knee, intending to try and raise Mirage.

"Mirage? Come on ya stubborn long barrel." Brawn used the nick name for snipers. Cold personalities typified the breed and Mirage was no exception. His background from the upper districts of Arndrand where the lines between Autobot and the various lines of civilians blurred, where the fortunate few could enjoy a comfortable life of luxury living amongst the long abandoned but still plentiful warehouses stockpiled by wary civilians of the district. He was a hard bot to get to know but his long barrelled rifle was comforting sight to see prior to a mission on the ready line. Mirage refused to be roused, and his still pinned left leg was badly mangled.

"Might be safer to remove the leg." Ratchet had arrived at Brawn's shoulder; the normally cheerful medic had his 'hard face' on. The cold mask he consciously or subconsciously for all Brawn knew, composed for the delivery of bad news. Brawn turned his head to look at the white helmeted figure and said loudly enough for all the humans to hear;

"Stand back." Ratchet of course paid no heed. Brawn took a step forward and shoved, taking an entire section of the rock fall and pushing it aside to rumble downwards towards the sea. Brawn was already backing out, hauling Mirage by the armpits.

"Easy Brawn, put him down." Ratchet's quiet voice, full of authority interrupted Brawn's urgency and he slowed, and laid Mirage down allowing Ratchet to go to work on Mirage's legs. There was plenty of small damage to Mirage who had a delicate alt mode and that would take some time. At the beckoning of the humans Brawn raced across the site to the next zone and piled straight in. This excavation was in a less critical part of the site in terms of it's stability but was deeper. Brawn rapidly found himself almost wading in the material. Finally a glimpse of blue showed through gaps in the rock.

"Ratchet I have a blue one over here." The local star was low on the horizon and seeing through the visible spectrum was growing increasingly difficult. Shifting spectrums increased clarity but lost colour definition. It was either Optimus Prime or Gears. It now occurred to Brawn that almost the whole of daylight hours had passed with him working, running and fighting on this powdered silica shoreline.

"Who?" The voice was not Ratchet but the clipped deliberate tones of Prowl. Brawn did not answer. The minibot sensed the presence of another Autobot behind him. A red gauntlet gripped Brawns right shoulder.

"Ratchet?"

"No hurry, Brawn." Ratchet's voice was quiet and gentle and Brawn had heard it from him before. Brawn stopped his digging, and turned towards the Autobot medic.

"Maybe you are not picking up the telemetry through the rock." Brawn tried to read some hope into Ratchet's expression.

"Ratchet?" the semi-distant radio voice of Prowl interrupted Brawn's thought processes. Ratchet used his laser torch on a wide low-power setting to disintegrate and brush away some of the fine material. Two arms were doubled forward trying to keep a huge rock from pinning and crushing the upper torso and head of the blue figure. They had not been successful.

"Oh Primus," whispered Brawn involuntarily. Brawn remembered happier times with the Autobot hauler, constantly bearing the load for others with a good natured gripe and an insult or two. The voice he recalled was a voice he would not hear again. A red mist descended over Brawns eyes and he twisted out of Ratchets grip and slammed his fists repeatedly into the rock, venting his frustration all the while impersonating Devastator of hours before. The humans scurried for cover as shards of rock flew in all direction from the fists of the Minibot.

"Brawn! Stand down!" This was the ready line bark from Prowl. This time Brawn did not snap to attention. He barely heard the words and its meaning slipped by unrecognised.

"Easy big bot," Ratchet wrapped his arms around Brawns torso, pinning his upper arms to his side. The green Autobot struggled briefly, but the recognition of Ratchet's voice and livery got through and Brawn sagged to a halt and went limp. Suddenly bearing the weight of two Ratchet staggered backwards and sat with a thump that echoed off the rock formations. Curious soldiers, and Prowl, using his safetied rifle as a crutch, moved up to the edge of the rocky alcove in front of Gears' cairn. Most of the soldiers moved away self-consciously, while Ratchet embraced the smaller Autobot.

"There is nothing we can do for Gears. His spark has left us for the matrix. Until all are one." Ratchet's soft voice reached Brawn through his grief as he intoned the ingrained response.

"All are one."


End file.
